


To Live in Peace

by infernalstars



Series: Neil Loves Dinosaurs [6]
Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Andrew Minyard Loves Neil Josten, Autistic Neil Josten, M/M, Neil Josten & Andrew Minyard Adopt, OC, Original Character(s), neil josten is a good dad, neil loves dinos, parenting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:47:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26182918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infernalstars/pseuds/infernalstars
Summary: He could live everyday life without being on edge. Even if he had hard days he could live in peace.
Relationships: Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Series: Neil Loves Dinosaurs [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1872259
Comments: 4
Kudos: 169





	To Live in Peace

**Author's Note:**

> MEET HENRY! I love him!! more with him to come but this is all I have for now
> 
> minor tw for homophobia

Andrew waited for his answer. 

Henry sat across from him. He was fourteen. He was scared. 

Andrew knew exactly how he felt. 

“They called me a bad word,” Henry said quietly. “So I punched him in the throat.” 

“What’d they say?” Andrew asked. 

“It’s not my word to say,” Henry said. Andrew tilted his head in confusion. “The f-word.” 

“Oh.”

Neil frowned, leaning forward. “Are you upset about that?”

He could still hear Seth’s voice calling Nicky that word. He grimaced, hating that those memories wouldn’t fade. 

“I’m upset that he used that word. I could care less if he thinks of me that way,” Henry said. He looked up at them expectantly. “How long am I grounded for?” 

“Grounded?” Neil asked, confused. 

“Why would you be grounded,” Andrew asked.

“Because I punched a kid in the throat at school,” he said, more confused now. 

Andrew shrugged. “Just make sure your thumb is on the outside of your first next time.”

Henry looked down at his bandaged hand. 

When he came to them a few months ago, he’d told them about his previous home. His previous foster mother was incredibly strict. 

He’d been constantly grounded, privileges taken away, etc. 

Andrew and Neil’s parenting was much easier going. They sat down and talked when things like this happened. They didn’t get mad. 

Andrew wondered if anyone had ever actually listened to Henry. He was a good kid with a short temper and some issues with violence. Andrew and Neil weren’t strangers to this. 

Neil looked down at the discolored dinosaur stuffed animal in his lap.”For all the times you’ve gotten into fights, I’m surprised you got hurt.”

Henry shrugged. “I’ve never been so angry.”

Andrew understood that. He recalled the blind rage that night those guys went for Nicky. He couldn’t think straight until the adrenaline left his system. 

He wondered what the odds were of adopting a kid so similar to himself. 

“I didn’t want to stop,” he whispered. “And I didn’t care.”

Neil looked up, playing with dinosaur fur. “We have one rule. Please don’t break it.”

Andrew barely kept the smile off his face as he recalled their singular rule. Don’t kill anyone. 

Henry had stood in the center of his room when he first arrived and turned to look at them. He looked scared. 

“What are the rules?”

“Rules?” Neil asked.

“Yeah, like what I’m not supposed to do.”

“Don’t kill anyone,” Andrew had answered.

Neil got up now, pacing a bit. Andrew watched him, wondering what could possibly be on his husband's mind. 

“Go do your homework,” Andrew said to Henry, nodding to his room down the hall.

Henry frowned at Neil, debating saying something but got up and went to his room. He looked over his shoulder once before closing the door. 

Andrew looked up at Neil who had a fierce grip on the dinosaur in his hand. 

“What’s on your mind, Neil,” Andrew hummed, leaning against the back of his chair. 

“If we condone violence are we any better than our parents and what they did to us,” Neil asked, stopping to stand in front of Andrew. He rocked back and forth on his heels. 

Andrew watched his grip tighten on the stuffed animal. He was getting overwhelmed quickly. 

“It would be hypocritical if we punished him for it,” Andrew said. “You aren't your dad.”

Neil nodded, staring down at the stuffed animal. “Did I ever tell you...I had one like this growing up?” 

Andrew’s brows furrowed. That stuffed animal was nearly ten years old and he had not yet heard this story. He shook his head no. 

“He burned it because I would dig through the trash for it. I’m scared of fire.” 

Andrew frowned. “I’m sorry he did that.”

Neil deserved better. He deserved better parents, a safe environment. Andrew worked hard to give him what he couldn’t have as a kid. 

Neil handed the stuffed animal to him. “I’m...I cant...it’ll…”

Neil shook his head, bouncing on the balls of his feet. Andrew set the animal on the table.

“Sign, Neil,” he said patiently. 

Neil’s face was scrunched up in frustration. He opened his mouth and snapped it shut. 

“I want to be a good dad,” he signed. 

Andrew frowned. “You’re doing your best. We both are. That’s all anyone can ask of us.” 

Neil nodded, rocking back and forth for a moment. Then he signed, “I love you.” 

“I love you too, dumbass.” 

Neil smiled, bouncing now. Andrew tried to keep his face blank as he stared up at his husband. He could not deny how completely and utterly in love he was. The idea made him sick, but it didn’t stop him from feeling it. 

He remembered when he first admitted it to himself, sitting in Bee’s office. He was furious about something Kevin had said about Neil. He’d been storming around her office in fury. 

“Why do you think you care so much, Andrew?” Bee had asked. 

Andrew had yelled that he loved him without thinking and it had terrified him. 

Now, he felt comfort in knowing this. He felt safe. 

Neil did that for him. 

And now they had a fucking family. He could hear the world please without spiraling, he could help Neil raise a child. They could do these things. 

He could live everyday life without being on edge. Even if he had hard days he could live in peace.


End file.
